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LIST OF MICMAC NAMES 



PLACES, RIVERS, ETC, IN NOVA SGOTIA. 



Compiled by 
ELIZABETH FRAME. 



LIST OF MICMAC NAMES 



OF 



PLACES, RIVERS, ETC, IN NOVA SCOTIA. 



Compiled by 
ELIZABETH ipRAME. 



CAMBRIDGE: 
JOHN WILSON AND SON. 

Sanibcrsitg Press. 
1892. 



^* 



NOTE. 

The following list of Micmac names of places, rivers, etc., 
in Nova Scotia and neighborhood was compiled, at my 
request, by Miss Elizabeth Frame, of Shubenacadie, for the 
library of the Massachusetts Historical Society, and was 
duly presented at the meeting on June 9, 1892. She was 
aided in her labors by a Micmac Indian, as well as by the 
published works of Mr. Gesner and Dr. Rand. It is now 
printed at the expense of a gentleman of Cambridge, who 
is interested in Indian philology. 

S. A. G. 
Boston, August 20, 1892. 



The Micmac left no sculptured gods, 

No temples made of stone ; 
In misty caves, in storm-tossed clouds, 

Manitou dwelt alone. 

But names remain on hill and plain 

Of this once powerful race, 
And in those liquid Micmac words 

Their presence yet we trace 

Where Aspatogon lifts her brow, 

Unblushing, to the sea; 
Where crashing ice-cakes dash and break 

On lonely Scatarie ; 

Where turbid waters seethe and foam 
Eound Glooscap, Chebooktook ; 

On Tusket's Isles where sea-gulls rest, 
And heron on Panuke ; 

The rushing tides in Pesiquid, 

And Shubenacadie ; 
The level meads of Tantramar; 

The falls of Konomee. 

No Micmac now on Cobequid 

Hunts moose or caribou; 
And alien races change the names 

Which first were named by you. 

E. F. 



SOUND OF LETTERS IN MICMAC. 

The consonants are sounded as in English : g is always hard, 
as in go, egg, and c exactly like k ; ch as in church ; h follow- 
ing a vowel in the same syllable (as in ahk) is a soft guttural, 
like the German ch in Ich. There is no / in Micmac ; when at- 
tempting to pronounce French or English words which contain 
this letter, the Indians give it the sound of b or p. 

The vowels are sounded thus: a, as in father ; a, as in fate; 
a, as in fat; a, as the second a in abaft; e, as in me; e as in 
met; ei, as i in pine; i, as i in pin; o, as in no; 6 as in not; u, as 
in tube, use; u, as in tub; oo, as in fool, Tiiove ; 66 as in good, 
ivood; ow, as in now. When any vowel is doubled, as aa, aa, ee, 
5, the usual sound is prolonged, and takes the accent, but the 
place for the accent is the penult. 'M or 'N at the beginning of 
a word with the accent marked, is sounded without a vowel. 

The following are examples of the peculiarity termed "holo- 
phrastic," where a single word stands for a sentence : — 

Boon, the sitting place, the cross-piece on which the pad- 
dler sits. 

Bodsengch, let us take a trip by water, let us go in a canoe. 

Epkw6se, I have a shelter from the rain over my head. 

Kamatk, bushes yonder, beyond a cleared place. 

Nespe, to be stopping in the wigwam to take care of it, 
while the others are away. 

New6pskitk, the bed of the river is dry, and the rocks are 
bare. 

■W6pk, the morning light, — " the opening of the eye of the 
morninEf." 



LIST OF MICMAC NAMES 



OF 



PLACES, RIVERS, ETC. 



Ababe, a boundary. 

Abaktooe, the great auk. 

Abe, a bow for an arrow. 

Agamok, white ash. 

Agoom^kun, Apple River, Cum- 
berland County. 

Agoomakiinuk, Sand River, Cum- 
berland County. 

Ah-mah-gops-ke-geek, tumbling- 
over rocks ; Tangier River. 

Ajeok'chemin, a blackberry. 

Akkada, abundance of things ; 
plenty of ground-nuts ; hence 
Acudie (French). 

Akum, a snow-shoe, raquette. 

Amlamekw', a mackerel. 

Anesaak, Salmon River. 

Ansaakw, New Harbor. 

Apcheechkumoochwaakade, 
Duck land. Hence the French 
name Canard River. 

Apsiboogwechk', Port le Bear. 

Aseedik, Lunenburg. 

Asooemanokse, a creeping black- 
berry vine. 

Aspatogon, a headland on the 
Atlantic. 

Baktaba', a bay. 

Bauook, the first lake as you ascend 
a river. 



Banooopskek, opening out through 

rocks, as Penobscot. 
Banooskek, entrance into Bras d'Or 

Lake. 
Banoskek, a water passage between 

two lakes. 
Ba'pkokte'k, Argyle. 
B^pkook, the birch bark will ea- 
sily peel. 
Bislooaakade, St. Peter's Island, 

near Prince Edward Island. 
Bookt, the head of a bay. 
Booktawi'chk, rum, from 
Booktaoo, fire ; hence fire-water ; 

alcohol. 
Booktouiaygun, fireworks ; Toney 

River. 
Bookto-waagun, Mill Creek on the 

River Hebert in Cumberland Co. 
Boonamookwode, Salmon River, 

Yarmouth. 
Bostoon, America. 
Bostoonkawaach, an American. 
Bostoonkawoo'lkw, an American 

vessel. 
Brooksake, Charlottetown Harbor, 

Prince Edward Island. 

Cajj-booginek, winding through 

the wilderness ; River John. 
Caliiget, Carraget Harbor. 



LIST OF MICMAC NAMES OF PLACES, RIVERS, ETC 



Cansoke, facing the frowning cliff ; 

Canso. 
Caskumpec, flowing through the 

sand ; Cascumpec, P. E. Island. 
Caydybunnygek, clam diggings ; 

Boot Island, Ilorton. 
Chebookt, Halifax, from Ukche- 

bookt, the largest harbor or bay. 
Cheenia, to paddle a canoe. 
Chegaoo, bass, a fish. 
Chegumakun, a rattle, an Indian 

tambourine. 
Chijikwtook', Cornwallis River. 
Chikchowwegunechwa'-wdso- 

"wek'i a rose. 
Chikchowwegunejul, roseberries ; 

also the name of an orange. 
ChipchovvweGh', a robin. 
C-wesomallygeek, Hardwood 

Ridge, Cumberland. 

Ebedek, Bedeque, P. E. Island. 
Elmunakuncheech, Little Sevogal 

River. 
Elsetkook', Bear River in ]S^ova 

Scotia. 
Emsiik, Port JoUi. 
Eppayguit, anchored on the wave ; 

Prince Edward Island. 
Eskiimaaga, to eat raw flesh ; hence 

the name of the eskimo Indians, 

eaters of raw flesh. 
Eskumiinaak', Mount Skumunak. 
Eskumiinaak, Point Skimenack, in 

New Brunswick. 
Eskwodek', Murray Harbor, P.E. I. 
Espakiimegek, high land. Green 

Hill, Pictou County. 

Gaspich, Gaspe ; far into the wa- 
ter. 

Glooscap, a manitou who dwelt in 
the Bay of Fundy, at Blomidon. 

Goolwagopskooch, Port George. 

Gul-wahgahgek, the home of the 
sea-cow ; Quaco, New Brunswick, 



Inskooomadeedich, Lakeland, N.S. 

Kabem, the border of a lake. 

Kag^weamkek, Port Hood. 

Kakagwek, a place of dried meat ; 
now Hantsport, in Hants Co. 

Kakwoleegigiin, a snow-bank. 

Kaleboo, caribou. 

Kaleboode, a shovel. Hence Kalg- 
boo, caribou, the shoveller, be- 
cause they shovel up the snow 
with their broad feet in digging 
down for the moss on which they 
feed. 

Katkooch' and Katkoolch', Brook- 
lyn, Queens Co., Nova Scotia. 

Keaskiinoo'gwejit, a mighty chop- 
per, a fabulous being who cuts 
down trees ; you hear the chop- 
ping, the workman is invisible, 
but the tree falls. 

Kebamke^k', Bathurst, on the Bay 
of Chaleur. 

Kebapskitk, the stream that con- 
nects two lakes. 

The six lakes on the Livei-pool 
River, as you go up stream : 

1. Panook. 

2. Kedooskek'. 

3. Pushugook'. 

4. Kejimkoojik. 

5. Imiitkaak. 

6. Toobeadoogook. 

Lakes on Salmon River, east 
of Halifax : 

1. Usoogomtisoog-wedamk'. 

2. Milpaachk. 

3. Utkoskwaachk. 

4. Kloocheowpaach. 
6. Nemchenokpaachk. 

6. Noogoomkiibaak. 

7. Mtabes-waakade (where 

mud-catfish abound). 
On Port Medway River are : 

1. Banook. 

2. Maligeak'. 



LIST OF MICMAC NAMES OF PLACES, RIVERS, ETC, 



9 



Kebbek, narrows ; Quebec.^ 

Kegiimoosk, Little River, a brancli 
of the Kestigouche. 

Kekwajoo, a badger. 

Keuomee, Sandy Point, now Econ- 
omy, in Colchester County. 

Kesapskfll, Apesookaam Lake. 

Kesegoo, an aged man. 

Kesegooaak'w, an aged porpoise or 
seal. 

Kesegoo'e, an aged bird. 

Kesegooeeskw, an aged woman. 

Kesegook, an aged porcupine. 

Kesegoo'msk, an aged beaver. 

Kesegoo'sum, an aged dog. 

Kesegoo'tkw, an aged cow, moose, 
horse. 

Keskaak, the wood is broad. 

Keskoospaak, Little E,ivei\ 

Keskutkwek', the river is broad. 

Kesokiidek', the neighborhood of 
Archibald's Mills at Truro. 

Kesoosko-w6stoogwek', Middle 
Elver, Pictou. 

KesooskwostoogTvek, Little Riv- 
er, a branch of Sheet Harbor 
River. 

Kespabggea'chk, Big Kespebae- 
dak'. 

KeespoogMritk, Land's End, Yar- 
mouth. 

Kikcheboog-wek, Cavendish, 
Prince Edward Island. 

Kitpoo, an eagle. 

Kitpooaakade, Cape Shubenacadie. 



Kitpoo-aykaddy, a place of eagles, 
near the river Shubenacadie, now 
known as the Eagles' Nest. 

Kloopskeaakade, Bird Island. 

Kobet, a beaver. 

Kobetek', Aylesford Bog. 

Koo'koogwes', an owl. 

Kookumijenagwanak', Cape Dol- 

, phin. 

Koolpesoo'n, an anchor. 

Koolpijooik, Petpiswick Harbor. 

Koospem, a lake. 

Kow-week, porcupine quills. 

Ktadoosok, Saguenay River. 

Kulokwejook, Mary Joseph, below 
Halifax. 

Kiilumooejeinanokse, bilberry. 

K-webek, the head of the tide, now 
Bedford. 

Kwemoodeech, Pope's Harbor. 

Kwesomalegek', a hard-wood 
Point, now Fort Lawrence. 

Kwesow-'waak, a cape of land. 

Logumkeegun, Shelburne. 
Liintook', deer. 

Luskuch, jNIanadoo in Cape Breton. 
Lustegooch, Restigouche River. 

Maak^n, Maccan River in Cumber- 
land County. 

Mabou, a river in Cape Breton. 

Madawaak, a point where two riv- 
ers come together. 



1 This is beyond question the origin of the name of the city of Quebec. The 
French pronounce Quebec not kwe-bek, as the English do, but keb-bek, tlie exact 
pronunciation of the Indian word. The " Narrows," above Halifax Harbor, and 
a narrow place in the Liverpool River just below Milton, are thus named by the 
Indians. The sj'Uabie keb or kep, which is the same exactty in meaning, means 
to stop or impede, to choke up, etc. Many words begin with this syllable; as, 
kebejokum, to stop a hole; kebejokteskum, to shut a door; kebadagvira', 
to be hoarse, to have the voice impeded ; kebaadoo, to stanch blood ; kebap- 
skitk, the stream is obstructed by rocks ; kebamkoogwek, the mouth of the 
river is obstructed by sand thrown in by the waves ; kebe-skoouei, my nose is 
stopped ; etc. 



10 



LIST OF MICMAC NAMES OF PLACES, EIVERS, ETC. 



Magepskegechk', tumbling over 
large rocks; Gaspereaux River, 
in Horton, King's County. 

MajeoktSliguu Liitkaamun, an 
arrow. 

Makpaak, IMalpeque, in P. E. I. 

Makpaachk, first and second lakes 
on Moses River. 

Malipkaiich', a hazel-nut. 

Maskwe, general name for bark. 

Maycobegilk, end of the flowing 
(meaning the bound of the rush- 
ing water, the tide or bore) ; 
Cobequid, Truro, now Salmon 
River. 

Meg^inaage, Nova Scotia ; land of 
the Micraacs. 

Megwa'jijik, the Red Indians of 
Newfoundland. 

Megwas-a', Belfast in P. E. Island. 

Memkaak-kwgsawa', Pandora 
Point. 

MgnagwSs', St. John, N. B. 

Meuichk, a berry. 

Menoody, a bay; Minudie, Cum- 
berland County. 

Meowch', a puss, a cat. 

Mes-adek, Long Island, Horton, 
Nova Scotia. 

Meseebakuniik', Sambro Cape. 

Mespaak, Cape Mispek. 

Migoonaasit, the out-spreader; a 
peacock. 

Mijeogiin, St. Lawrence River. 

Milasiik, Bridgeport. 

Milapskegechk, third lake on Mo- 
ses River. 

Milchegaach, Meander River in 
Newport, Hants County. 

Mimkvyokun, an acorn. 

Mirnkwonmoose, the oak. 

Misegumisk', Scraggy Lake. 

Mistoogook, Mistouche River. 

Moinawa, bear's meat. 

Moo-aiimook, he is from home. 

Mooin, a bear. 



Mooinei', a bear-skin. 
Moosegisk', the atmosphere. 
Mootpoon, an animal's bed. 
Mpogiin, a bed. 
Misookweel, the bark for building 

a canoe. 
'Mtaban', mud bridge; Wolfville, 

Nova Scotia. 
Mtae, a beaver-skin. 
Mtoodook, Little River, Mira, 

Cape Breton. 
Mtinagesflnook', the Magdalen 

Islands. 
Miina'pskw, a ledge of rocks. 
Miindoo, Satan. This is the Algon- 

kin name for the Great Spirit, 

but applied to the devil by the 

first Christian missionaries. 
Mundooapskw, Devil's Rock, now 

Jeddore Rock. 
Muneskoochk', Muddy Creek, 

Prince Edward Island. 
MunkwSn', the rainbow. 
Musquodoboit, sparkling water, a 

river in Halifax County. 

Nabiidagwgn'igun, a basket han- 
dle. 

Naookteboogooik, big pond. 

Napan, Napan in Cumberland Co. 

Napiiskwa', to string beads. 

Nebe, a leaf. 

Ngbeltook', Bartibog, name of a 
place. 

NegAvek, Negwak Island. 

Neleg^kunek, Newport River. 

Neliksaak, Arichat. 

Nenicheboogwek', Middle River, 
Cape Breton. 

Nemtakay&k', Nemtage River. 

Nepigiguit, on Chaleur Bay. 

Neseamk', Sable River, Nova 
Scotia. 

Nictahk, forks ; Nictau. 

Noel, where the ice-cakes float 
loosely. 



LIST OF MICMAC NAMES OF PLACES, RIVERS, ETC. 



11 



Noogoomke&k', Moses River. 
Noos-abon, the river Noosaboon. 
'Ntooa'gwakiin, Lot 49, Prince 

Edward Island. 
'Ntiibloo, an army. 

Ogoinkige6k', Liverpool River, 

Nova Scotia. 
Oochaadooch, Margaree River's 

mouth, Cape Breton. 
Oochogfim, a point covered with 

oak. 
Ooiastook, St. John River, New 

Brunswick. 
Oonban, a moose's bed. 
Oonegiin, portage. 
Oonikskwomkook, Point Miskwe. 
Owoolakiimooejit, Famine, figu- 
ratively represented as an evil 

being. 
O-wwSkiin, Portage River, Mira- 

machi, New Brunswick. 

Paakwaak, stop here, you cannot 
go any further ; Pockwock Lake. 

Pajedoobaachk, Oyster Pond. 

Palamooa' Seboo, Salmon River, 
Truro. 

Paspege'ak, Paspebeek, Prospect. 

Pedeadek, ignis fatuus. 

Pege, a side of meat, including all 
the ribs. 

Pemamke&k', Sand Island, Mira- 
machi. 

Pentagouet, a river in New Bruns- 
wick. 

Pessyquid, flowing squarely into 
the sea ; Avon River in Windsor, 
Hants County. 

Petkootkwe&k', Peticodiac River. 

Petoobok, Bras d'Or Lake in Cape 
Breton. 

Pijenooiskak, La Have River. 

Piktook, Pictou. 

Piktoo'jiik, Martin's River, Col- 
chester, Nova Scotia. 



Pogumkek', Pomket Harbor. 

Ponhook, the first lake in a chain. 

Poogunikpechk, Pictou Harbor. 

Pookudapskw5de, Cape Porcu- 
pine, on the Strait of Canso. 

Pootaleawa', a basket. 

Pugooopskook, Owl's Head in 
Hants County. 

Pulamoo, salmon. 

Piilowecha Miiwego, Partridge 
Island. 

Piilow-wech, a partridge. 

Saa-gaa-bun, the Micmac potato. 

Saa-gaa-bun-akady, the place 
wiiere the Micmac potato grows 
(Shubenacadie). 

Sakpulkweak, there is wet snow 
and ice there. 

Sasageem, a bare foot. 

Sasoo Goole, Jesus Christ. 

Sebiskaddkuncheech, Miscou 

Gully, Cape Breton. 

Seboo, a river. 

Sebunisk', Lockport, Nova Scotia. 

Segfibfinakade, Shubenacadie. 

Sesetkook, Chezetcook. 

Sesip or Sesipcheech', a bird. 

Ses-moguii, sugar. 

Sigiinikt', Chignecto. 

Simkook, Petite River in Lunen- 
burg. 

Skudakiimoochooowte, Milky 
Way; the spirits' road. 

Stewiacke, where the fresh water 
joins the salt ; a river in Colches- 
ter County. 

Sumskwes', Pumpkin Island. 

Sunow', sugar maple. 

Tabooetooetun, Rustico, P. E. I. 

TaooSpskik, the river runs out be- 
tween rocks. Hence the name of 
the Annapolis River, Taooopskik. 

Tawitk, Petite Passage, N. S. 

Team, a moose. 



12 



LIST OF MICMAC NAMES OF PLACES, RIVERS, ETC. 



Tesogv^ode, Pirate's Cove, on Can- 
so Strait. 

Tooetiinook', Avon River, Hants 
County. 

Tuliigadik, Grand Lake, Halifax 
County. 

Ukcheseeboo, a large river. 

Uktakumkook', Newfoundland. 

Ukwtakun, starvation ; in the In- 
dian legends represented as a 
quasi demigod, whose howling 
and approach indicate death and 
destruction. 

UIgedoo, a mushroom. 

Ulgedook', Port Medway. 

Ulnoo, a man, as distinguished 
from all other animals. 

Ulnooe, to be a man, an Indian. 

Ulnoojech, the eyeball, the little 
Indian, manikin. 

Umkoome, ice. 

Upkoo, gum. 

Upk-wavsreeg&n', Oak Point in 
Cornwallis. 

Upskimkook, Petite River in 
Hants County. 

Utkiibok, Chebogue. 

Wagobagitk', literally, the bay 
runs far up ; hence Cobequid. 

Wechkv/emke&k', Mizzen Point. 

Wedaweiak', the rain patters on 
the roof. 

Wegoon, a bean. 



Weijooik, Sheet Harbor. 
Weiopsk, a bead. 
"Weisis, a beast. 
Wejo^wtik, Point Prim. 
Weiikuch', Margaree River, Cape 

Breton. 
Wiskusok, Milpagech', Nenas^- 

kiinek', and Pedawikpaak are 

Tangier Lakes. 
"Wisiinawon, Gay's River, in Hali- 
fax County. 
"Wobaboookchiik, white waters, 

Elm Tree River. 
"WSbeakade, literally Swan land, 

now Broad River Lake. 
"Wojeechk, Pereaux in Cornwallis. 
Wokuloopskusow', Marble Head. 
"Wokumeak', jSTine-Mile River in 

Hants County. 
Wokiimutkook, Middle River, 

Nova Scotia. 
Woliimk-waka'giiniichk, Port 

Mulgrave. 
WSlunkSk', Beaver Harbor. 
"Wonpaak, Cole Harbor. 
■Wosetumooek, Newel River. 
Wosoksegek', Martin's Point, near 

Londonderry, Colchester County, 

on Debert River. 
■W6s6g-wesoo-gw6de, Petite in 

Hants County, on the bay. 
Wospegeak', Shoal Bay. 
Wospooijiktook, among the seals ; 

Herring I'oint, New Brunswick. 

Yap Team, a bull moose. 



■=s 



